Display apparatus, display method, program, storage medium, and display system

Abstract

An enlarged image is displayed using a plurality of television sets. A television set serving as a master device and television sets serving as slave devices convert an input image into partial enlarged images and display the resultant partial enlarged images so that the partial enlarged images displayed on the respective television sets form, as a whole, a complete enlarged full image. The master device and slave devices perform mutual authentication with each other. If the authentication is successfully passed, the operation mode is set so that displaying of an enlarged image is allowed.

1. A display apparatus, connectable with one or more other display apparatuses and having display means for displaying an image in accordance with an input video signal, comprising:
 classifying means for determining a class corresponding to a pixel of interest such that plural class reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest to be predicted are extracted from the input video signal and the class corresponding to the pixel of interest is determined from the extracted class reference pixels; 
 prediction coefficient generation means for generating a prediction coefficient corresponding to the class determined by the classifying means; 
 pixel prediction means for predicting the pixel of interest such that plural prediction reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest are extracted from the input video signal, and the pixel of interest is predicted by means of a prediction operation using the extracted plural prediction reference pixels and the prediction coefficient; and 
 display control means for displaying an image including at least the pixel of interest on display means such that images displayed on the present display apparatus and said one or more other display apparatuses form, as a whole, a complete enlarged image of the image corresponding to the input video signal. 
 
   
   
     2. A display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display control means comprises:
 video signal generation means for generating a video signal to be used to display an enlarged image corresponding to the input video signal, using the input video signal and the predicted pixel of interest; and 
 video signal output means for outputting at least a part of the video signal, to be used to display the enlarged image, to said one ore more other display apparatuses. 
 
   
   
     3. A display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the classifying means determines the class of the pixel of interest on the basis of the level distribution pattern of the class reference pixels. 
   
   
     4. A display apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the prediction reference pixels and the class reference pixels are the same. 
   
   
     5. A display apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising authentication means for performing mutual authentication with said one ore more other display apparatuses; and
 at least the part of the enlarged image is displayed on said other display apparatuses only if the authentication has been successfully passed. 
 
   
   
     6. A display apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising enlargement factor setting means for setting the enlargement factor to be employed to enlarge the input video signal to produce the enlarged video signal to be displayed. 
   
   
     7. A display apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising parameter setting means for setting a parameter depending on the enlargement factor set by the enlargement factor setting means, wherein the prediction coefficient generation means generates the prediction coefficient on the basis of coefficient seed data obtained in advance by means of learning. 
   
   
     8. A display apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the enlargement factor setting means sets the enlargement factor such that the enlargement factor gradually increases after displaying the image corresponding to the input video signal. 
   
   
     9. A display apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 enlarging area detection means for determining an enlarging area of the image corresponding to the input video signal, to be enlarged by a factor equal to the enlargement factor into an enlarged video signal to be displayed on said one or more other display apparatuses; 
 displaying area detection means for determining a displaying area of a screen of each of said one or more other display apparatuses, in which the corresponding enlarged image is to be displayed; and 
 transmission means for transmitting data indicating the enlarging area, the displaying area, and the enlargement factor to said one or more other display apparatuses. 
 
   
   
     10. A display apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 enlargement factor input means for inputting an enlargement factor transmitted from one of said other display apparatuses; and 
 parameter setting means for setting a parameter in accordance with the enlargement factor received from said one of other display apparatuses, wherein the prediction coefficient generation means generates the prediction coefficient on the basis of coefficient seed data obtained in advance by means of learning. 
 
   
   
     11. A display apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 input means for inputting an enlarging area of an image corresponding to the input video signal transmitted from one of said other display apparatuses and for inputting a displaying area in which an enlarged image obtained by enlarging the image in the enlarging area is to be displayed, wherein the display means displays the enlarged image obtained by enlarging the image corresponding to the input video signal such that the enlarged image is displayed in the displaying area. 
 
   
   
     12. A display method for a display apparatus, connectable with one or more other display apparatuses, to display an image in accordance with an input video signal, comprising:
 a classification step, of determining a class corresponding to a pixel of interest such that plural class reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest to be predicted are extracted from the input video signal and the class corresponding to the pixel of interest is determined from the extracted class reference pixels; 
 a prediction coefficient generation step for generating a prediction coefficient corresponding to the class determined in the classification step; 
 a pixel prediction step for predicting the pixel of interest such that plural prediction reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest are extracted from the input video signal, and the pixel of interest is predicted by means of a prediction operation using the extracted plural prediction reference pixels and the prediction coefficient; and 
 a display control step, of displaying an image including at least the pixel of interest on display means such that images displayed on the present display apparatus and said one or more other display apparatuses form, as a whole, a complete enlarged image of the image corresponding to the input video signal. 
 
   
   
     13. A display method according to  claim 12 , wherein the display control step includes:
 a video signal generation step, of generating a video signal to be used to display an enlarged image corresponding to the input video signal, using the input video signal and the predicted pixel of interest; and 
 a video signal output step for outputting at least a part of the video signal, to be used to display the enlarged image, to said one or more other display apparatuses. 
 
   
   
     14. A program for causing a computer to control a display apparatus, which is connectable with one or more other display apparatuses, so as to display an image in accordance with an input video signal, said program comprising:
 a classification step, of determining a class corresponding to a pixel of interest such that plural class reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest to be predicted are extracted from the input video signal and the class corresponding to the pixel of interest is determined from the extracted class reference pixels; 
 a prediction coefficient generation step for generating a prediction coefficient corresponding to the class determined in the classification step; 
 a pixel prediction step for predicting the pixel of interest such that plural prediction reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest are extracted from the input video signal, and the pixel of interest is predicted by means of a prediction operation using the extracted plural prediction reference pixels and the prediction coefficient; and 
 a display control step, of displaying an image including at least the pixel of interest on display means such that images displayed on the present display apparatus and said one or more other display apparatuses form, as a whole, a complete enlarged image of the image corresponding to the input video signal. 
 
   
   
     15. A storage medium including a program stored thereon for causing a computer to control a display apparatus so as to display an image in accordance with an input video signal input from the outside, said program comprising:
 a classification step, of determining a class corresponding to a pixel of interest such that plural class reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest to be predicted are extracted from the input video signal and the class corresponding to the pixel of interest is determined from the extracted class reference pixels; 
 a prediction coefficient generation step for generating a prediction coefficient corresponding to the class determined in the classification step; 
 a pixel prediction step for predicting the pixel of interest such that plural prediction reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest are extracted from the input video signal, and the pixel of interest is predicted by means of a prediction operation using the extracted plural prediction reference pixels and the prediction coefficient; and 
 a display control step, of displaying an image including at least the pixel of interest on display means such that images displayed on the present display apparatus and said one or more other display apparatuses form, as a whole, a complete enlarged image of the image corresponding to the input video signal. 
 
   
   
     16. A display system including at least a first display apparatus and a second display apparatus connected with each other, the first display apparatus comprising:
 display means for displaying an image; 
 classifying means for determining a class corresponding to a pixel of interest such that plural class reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest to be predicted are extracted from the input video signal and the class corresponding to the pixel of interest is determined from the extracted class reference pixels; 
 prediction coefficient generation means for generating a prediction coefficient corresponding to the class determined by the classifying means; 
 pixel prediction means for predicting the pixel of interest such that plural prediction reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest are extracted from the input video signal, and the pixel of interest is predicted by means of a prediction operation using the extracted plural prediction reference pixels and the prediction coefficient; 
 display control means for displaying an image including at least the pixel of interest such that images displayed on the present display apparatus and the second display apparatus form, as a whole, a complete enlarged image of the image corresponding to the input video signal; and 
 transmission means for transmitting at least part of the predicted pixel of interest; 
 the second display apparatus comprising: 
 input means for inputting at least part of the predicted pixel of interest; and 
 display means for displaying the enlarged image including at least the pixel of interest. 
 
   
   
     17. A display apparatus, connectable with one or more other display apparatuses and including display means for displaying an image, comprising:
 input means for inputting video signal output from one of other display apparatuses; 
 image enlarging means for generating, from the input video signal, an enlarged image of the image corresponding to the input video signal; 
 authentication means for performing mutual authentication with said one of other display apparatuses; and 
 display control means for, if the authentication has been successfully passed, displaying an enlarged image generated by the image enlarging means on the display means such that images displayed on the display apparatus and said one or more other display apparatuses form, as a whole, a complete enlarged image, 
 classifying means for determining a class corresponding to a pixel of interest such that plural class reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest to be predicted are extracted from the input video signal and the class corresponding to the pixel of interest is determined from the extracted class reference pixels; 
 prediction coefficient generation means for generating a prediction coefficient corresponding to the class determined by the classifying means; and 
 pixel prediction means for predicting the pixel of interest such that plural prediction reference pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest are extracted from the input video signal, and the pixel of interest is predicted by means of a prediction operation using the extracted plural prediction reference pixels and the prediction coefficient; and 
 wherein the image enlarging means generates the enlarged image using the input video signal and the predicted pixel of interest. 
 
   
   
     18. A display apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising enlargement factor setting means for setting the enlargement factor to be employed to enlarge the input video signal to produce the enlarged video signal to be displayed. 
   
   
     19. A display apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising parameter setting means for setting a parameter depending on the enlargement factor set by the enlargement factor setting means, wherein the prediction coefficient generation means generates the prediction coefficient on the basis of coefficient seed data obtained in advance by means of learning. 
   
   
     20. A display apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the enlargement factor setting means sets the enlargement factor such that the enlargement factor gradually increases after displaying the image corresponding to the input video signal. 
   
   
     21. A display apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 enlarging area detection means for determining an enlarging area of the image corresponding to the input video signal, to be enlarged by a factor equal to the enlargement factor into an enlarged video signal to be displayed on said one or more other display apparatuses; 
 displaying area detection means for determining a displaying area of a screen of each of said one or more other display apparatuses, in which the corresponding enlarged image is to be displayed; and 
 transmission means for transmitting data indicating the enlarging area, the displaying area, and the enlargement factor to said one or more other display apparatuses. 
 
   
   
     22. A display apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 enlargement factor input means for inputting an enlargement factor transmitted from one of said other display apparatuses; 
 parameter setting means for setting a parameter in accordance with the enlargement factor received from one of said other display apparatuses, wherein the prediction coefficient generation means generates the prediction coefficient on the basis of coefficient seed data obtained in advance by means of learning. 
 
   
   
     23. A display apparatus according to  claim 22 , further comprising input means for inputting an enlarging area of an image corresponding to the input video signal transmitted from one of said other display apparatuses and for inputting a displaying area in which an enlarged image obtained by enlarging the image in the enlarging area is to be displayed, wherein the display means displays the enlarged image obtained by enlarging the image corresponding to the input video signal such that the enlarged image is displayed in the displaying area. 
   
   
     24. A display apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising transmission means for transmitting a part of the enlarged image to be displayed on each of said one or more other display apparatuses to corresponding each of said one or more other display apparatuses. 
   
   
     25. A display apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the image enlarging means generates the enlarged image from the input video signal by means of simple interpolation. 
   
   
     26. A display apparatus, connectable with one or more other display apparatuses and having display means for displaying an image in accordance with an input video signal, comprising:
 input means for inputting the input video signal; 
 prediction coefficient generation means for generating a prediction coefficient; 
 pixel prediction means for predicting the pixel of interest such that plural pixels in the vicinity of the pixel of interest are extracted from the input video signal, and the pixel of interest is predicted by means of a prediction operation using the extracted plural pixels and the prediction coefficient; and 
 display control means for displaying an image including at least the pixel of interest on the display means such that images displayed on the present display apparatus and said one or more other display apparatuses form, as a whole, a complete enlarged image of the image. 
 
   
   
     27. A display apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the display control means includes video signal generation means for generating a video signal to be used to display an enlarged image corresponding to the input video signal, using the input video signal and the predicted pixel of interest; and
 video signal output means for outputting at least a part of the video signal, to be used to display the enlarged image, to said one ore more other display apparatuses.